MarkintheHV Loc: Hudson Valley

I have a Canon 7d with a 50-500 Bigma lens. I have recently read that adding a battery grip will enhance the balance of the camera/lens combination.

I would like to hear from anyone who has experience with this combination.

Thanks

juicesqueezer Loc: Okeechobee, Florida

I'm not sure that it balances as well as it gives you a better grip on the camera.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Mark, I've never used that lens, so I dont know how big it is.
Are you handholding it, or strictly on a tripod?
I made a handle for my 200. It screws into where the tripod attaches. That made hand holding much easier. Before that, it would really tax my support arm.
The support made my lens feel much lighter than it actually is.
Your lens is probably lighter, but at full extension, yours probably feels heavier because it's longer. Mine never changes length, but it weighs seven pounds.
If you're interested, I could post a pic of the homemade handle.
I think a handle will make a huge difference. ;-)
SS

MarkintheHV Loc: Hudson Valley

Sharpshooter, I would love to see what you have. Fresh new ideas are always welcome!

BigBear Loc: Northern CT

I carry a 50D with a 300 2.8 IS.
I leave a tripod mount attached to the lens to make the perfect handle.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Mark, I'm glad to post it. But don't expect a high-tech device!!
It's basically the end of a shovel handle with a hangerbolt screwed into it.
I'm sure somebody makes a very expensive version. Mine was a 15 minute DIY project the night before a shoot. A necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention type of thing. I couldn't handle one more day without it.
I'll see if I can post it before midnight my time. You may not see it till you get up tomorrow! ;-)
SS

amehta Loc: Boston

Adding a grip does not change the effort required to support the lens at all. The balance point of lens is the same distance from your face, so it requires the same torque to hold it up. The balance point of the camera/lens combination does not affect this.

For most photographers, I think there are only two reasons to get the grip: if holding the camera is easier with it than without (regardless of the lens), and the vertical shutter release.

watchcow Loc: Moore, Oklahoma

Sticking my nose where it might not belong...
This is a pretty hefty lens, but the mass is not concentrated at the very end so it tends to feel pretty compact in use. I have played with one a bit on a Nikon D3, which is a bit heavier than your 7D. A monopod would be a definite help, and since the tripod foot on the lens has 3 or 4 holes in it you can come close to balancing it with any but the lightest camera bodies. if you use it a lot, you may find it valuable to use an Arca-Swiss style clamp on your tripod/monopod and attach a long arca rail to the foot so you can slide it in the clamp to find that perfect balance to get "neutral" handling on your support. There are Chinese knock-offs of these items that can be had inexpensively. My family has a number of pilots and I spent a lot of time at airshows with them taking pictures of aerobatics demonstrations. The lens setup I used a lot was an ancient 300mm f4 lens made for a Pentacon Six medium format camera. I think this lens was turned from a solid chunk of aluminum, it weighs about 6 pounds. That coupled to a Nikon F2 was more than I was going to support with my arms alone shooting overhead for half a day.

I did a lot of camping back then and used an army web belt and harness called LBE to lug canteens and field gear. pretty much shoulder straps made to clip to the web belt to transfer the load across your back and shoulders. I put a ball head on top of a compact monopod and attached that to the foot of the lens, and then adjusted the monopod so I could put the foot of the monopod in a sling made from a loop of rope and a PVC pipe cap with a couple of holes in it and that was hung near the front of the web belt. it allowed me to take pictures with the camera aimed up and my hands and arms only had to stabilize the load at that point. this also saved the repeated effort of having to lift several pounds of nose-heavy camera gear dozens of times and the annoyance of moving around a really tall tripod or monopod sitting on the ground.

Yes it looked stupid. Yes it was unattractive. It did work well and I got some great pictures. This same sort of rig I have used to get pictures of predator birds on the wing where a stationary support would have been restrictive.

This is not my site but one that illustrate what LBE is and how it works. http://inrd.gotdns.com/alice/howto.htm most army surplus stores will have this or something equivalent. there are lots of equivalent or better solutions from other companies that sell tactical gear.

tramsey Loc: Texas

Waiting to see that grip :thumbup: :thumbup:

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Mark, here are two pics of the handle.
It's pretty low-tech, but VERY effective.
It's really hard to hang onto a tripod shoe because it sits horizontal and you have to completely cock you wrist into a position that is completely unnatural.
With this handle, your hand is straight up and down in a very ergonomic position, so your hand will never cramp.

The wood is 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 4" long. Its just the end of an old broken handle and cut square. In this case the 1/4"x20 threaded piece is a hanger bolt from Home Depot.
It has a wood screw end about an in long screwed into the wood.
Maybe this will inspire someone, and help them hold their lens. In fast action it beats a monopod by miles.
My lens is seven pounds but it's not very long. I've shot as many as a 1000 shots with it over a half day period with no support. I've never used support with it.
Good luck! ;-)
SS

Handle

(Download)

Handle on Lens

(Download)

crimesc324 Loc: West Palm Beach, Florida

I have the Nikon D7000 with the battery grip. I use the Tamron 18-270 all the time and use my bigma 50-500 a lot too. Since it weighs in at just over 4 pounds, I almost always support it with either a monopod or tripod. Mine is an older version without VC so I can't handhold it when fully extended and get sharp photos. Balance is not a real issue when it is supported like that.

cmc4214 Loc: S.W. Pennsylvania

Great idea....maybe you should patent it!

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

I have 4 or 5 B.A.L. {big ass lenses} that only "Arnold" would try to shoot hand held. so it's a monopod or a tripod with or without a lens support.

MarkintheHV Loc: Hudson Valley

I like that, I am going to give that one a try. :)

Fat Gregory Loc: Southern New Jersey

Aluminum versions exist for $14-25. Most, that I have seen, are advertised for video. I bought one and it works well... I like the Hickory Handle better. It's high on cool;-)